TWELVE
You continued to pursue your work in the petitions department unenthusiastically. During Marshal Balbo’s absence, it was clear that none of the administration officials wanted this office or were keen on solving the problems of these miserable Libyans who sought it out. You knew that the idea of establishing the office had been born in Houriya’s head, who had in turn placed it in the Marshal’s.
If she had seen it as a means to ease the suffering of some, that hadn’t been her only motive. Her first and fundamental goal, as she had told you, had been to raise you to a higher status that would qualify you to be her partner by preparing a civil position for you in the Government Palace. And now you had brought down this central pillar on which the petitions office had been erected, so
